World’s Largest Limestone Quarry: world record in Rogers City, Michigan

September 15, 2022

Rogers City, Michigan, United States--The Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company (a.k.a. Michigan Limestone) operates a giant limestone quarry near Rogers City, Michigan; the high purity of this deposit and nearby water transportation led to the development here of a port and, at 8,024 acres, Rogers City 4 miles long and 1.5 miles wide Limestone Quarry is the World's Largest Limestone Quarry, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

Photo above: World’s Largest Limestone Quarry: world record in Rogers City, Michigan. Photo: Matt Bower

"The deposits mined at the quarry are underground in the northeastern part of Northern Michigan near Alpena and south of Rogers City along the shore of Lake Huron. The raw material is essential to a variety of industries; the major uses are for various aggregates, road-base stone cement, flux for iron and steel production, railroad ballast, mine dusting, and agricultural lime."(wikipedia)

"Limestone is a key component in the manufacturing of steel, chemicals and concrete, and the Rogers City quarry owned by Carmeuse Lime is the world’s largest,"the travelthemitten.com reports.

"After the timber industry died down in the region, limestone provided a second round of industry in the area. The size of the limestone deposit and its quality, as well as the availability of easy transport by water, continue to make this a successful operation. A port (Calcite) at the quarry sees self-unloading freighters take its products to ports around the Great Lakes."

"Located in an industrial area, Rogers City is home to the world's biggest limestone quarry and the world's biggest limestone processing plant," the World Port Source reports.

"These two Rogers City assets are used along the Great Lakes to make steel. Rogers City is almost 2.4 nautical miles (2.4 kilometers or 1.5 miles by air) northwest of the Port of Calcite and about 34 nautical miles (57 kilometers or 35 miles by air) southeast of the Port of Cheboygan. In 2010, over 2800 people lived in Rogers City."

Photo above: World’s Largest Limestone Quarry: world record in Rogers City, Michigan. Rogers City limestone quarry marker in Michigan. Pic: Doug Coldwell

Michigan historical marker

There is a Michigan State Historic Site historical marker at a viewing point over Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company facilities that reads:

"Limestone is a mineral raw material essential in making steel, chemicals, and cement. Henry H. Hindshaw, a geologist, established in 1908-09 the commercial value of this area's limestone for industry. The high purity of this deposit and nearby water transportation led to the development here of a port and quarry. Both are named Calcite, after the principal ingredient of the stone.

"The Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company, founded in 1910, began operation in 1912. Purchased by Carl D. Bradley and the United States Steel Corporation in 1920, the company came under the ownership of U.S. Steel upon Bradley's death in 1928. In 1951 the company became a division of the corporation. Self-unloaders of the division's Bradley Transportation Line carry limestone from this, the world's largest limestone quarry, to industrial ports all around the Great Lakes."

"The overlook for the World's Largest Limestone Quarry offers beautiful, quiet views," the Roadside America reports.

"This quarry is huge! There are several points around the area to view the quarry as well as see the freighter ships that transport the limestone throughout the Great Lakes. Since limestone naturally cleans water, the Lake Huron water all around Rogers City is beautiful. Try the cream pie from Kortman's - the diner is a dump, but the pie is incredible!"

Photos 3,4,5: World’s Largest Limestone Quarry: world record in Rogers City, Michigan. Pics by: Michigan Film Office

"At 8,024 acres, Rogers City 4 miles long and 1.5 miles wide Limestone Quarry is the world's largest," the locationshub.com reports.

"Currently operated by Carmeuse Lime and Stone, 115 employees work here with loader vehicles that have 13ft high tires and carry up to 195 tons (ie: 390,000 lbs.) of limestone. Founded in 1912, the Rogers Quarry also produces many 325 million year old Devonian fossils and is an extremely unique location. There are two yellow observation platforms. One is located at the end of Harbor View and the other is at Quarry View Road and US-23."

World’s Largest Limestone Quarry

Address: Calcite Rd, Rogers City, MI
Directions: Southeast of town, between Hwy 23 and Lake Huron, along Calcite Rd. Difficult to miss.

"If you would like to take a similar tour of the Calcite Quarry, be sure to keep an eye on the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum's website over the next year," the Great Lakes Lighthouse Association reports.

"Tours are offered once a year around the middle of August ever year. Here's a link the the museum's website. Just keep checking the "Events" link: http://www.gllmm.com/